With water levels in the country’s reservoirs at an all-time low, Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte says the water shortage being experienced across parts of South Trinidad may continue for the rest of the dry season.
Several parts of Penal, Debe, Barrackpore, Golconda, Diamond, Woodland and Monkey Town have been experiencing chronic water shortages since March. Some residents of Solomon Knox Road and Penal Rock Road say they have not had a drop of water in over three weeks.
In an exclusive interview with Guardian Media yesterday, Le Hunte said it was unacceptable that some areas had no water for over 21 days.
“If people are not getting water for three weeks, I am not aware of this based on the feedback I am getting from WASA,” Le Hunte said. Asked whether the ministry was reviewing current water schedules to arrange a more equitable distribution, Le Hunte said, “As you know, we are in the very dry season and our dams are at very low levels. We have cut back on our water supply in some areas in the south, including Penal.
“Traditionally, these areas have been getting water twice per week but now with the new schedules, these areas will be getting once per week. People who have not received water for weeks should make reports to WASA and their supply will be augmented with a truck-borne supply.”
However, he said there was no need to review the water schedule as this has already been done.
“The problem is not one about water scheduling, it is a problem with the low levels at the reservoirs. WASA published the new water cycles, we have already adjusted the water schedules,” he said.
Asked how often WASA had been maintaining existing water reservoirs, Le Hunte said the dams were 20-25 per cent below the average for this period. He added that the desalination plant, which services most of South Trinidad, has been ramped up with production levels increasing from 40 million gallons per day to 42 million gallons per day.
Le Hunte said production from ground wells have also increased.
“WASA has augmented reduced water from the reservoirs with increasing levels of groundwater from existing wells.
“We have cleaned and refurbished 34 wells to make sure that we are operating at maximum levels. We have an estimated six million gallons of water per day from the wells,” he added.
But he said production from the Caroni Water Treatment plant has also dropped from 72 million gallons per day to 60 million gallons per day.
“Some parts of Port-of-Spain and South have been experiencing reduced pressures. We expect that this may continue until the end of the dry season,” Le Hunte said. He added that since January, WASA has been urging citizens to conserve water.
“Every drop counts,” he said, adding that the Water Resource Agency, an independent arm of WASA, has been managing all resources to determine how much water could be extracted from reservoirs, ground wells and other sources. He said decisions are made based on rainfall projections from the T&T Meteorological Office.
With regard to the brownish colour of the water flowing from the pipes in some areas, Le Hunte said weather conditions were affecting the water WASA obtains from the seas for desalination.
“It is brackish and concentrated and this affects the quality of the water taken from the sea.
“Right now the Desalination Plant is producing 42 million gallons per day but we are trying to get more production from that site,” he added.
However, the minister said management of water resources required cooperation from everyone.
“We all have to work together to conserve water. Those areas getting water should use it wisely so that we can have enough water to distribute in other areas,” he said.